Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 23

Balarāma Visits Vraja: Consoling the Gopīs and Dragging the Yamunā

Devanagari script

उपगीयमानचरितो वनिताभिर्हलायुध: । वनेषु व्यचरत् क्षीवो मदविह्वललोचन: ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

upagīyamāna-carito vanitābhir halāyudha vaneṣu vyacarat kṣīvo mada-vihvala-locanaḥ

Translation

ເມື່ອນາງທັງຫຼາຍຮ້ອງສັນລະເສີນພຣະລີລາ, ພຣະຮະລາຍຸດະ ພຣະບະລະຣາມ ໄດ້ເດີນຫຼິ້ນໃນປ່າຫຼາຍແຫ່ງດັ່ງຄົນມຶນເມົາ; ດວງຕາຂອງພຣະອົງໄຫວວຽນດ້ວຍ຤ິດສຸລາ।

Synonyms

• उपगीयमान-चरितः: whose deeds were being sung
• उपगीयमान-चरितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपगीयमान (कृदन्त; √गै/गाय् धातु) + चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपगीयमान = वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), चरित = भूतकाले कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• वनिताभिः: by the women
• वनिताभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• हलायुधः: Halāyudha (Balarāma)
• हलायुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलायुध (प्रातिपदिक; हल + आयुध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हलम् आयुधं यस्य/हल-आयुधः)

• वनेषु: in the forests
• वनेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• व्यचरत्: he wandered
• व्यचरत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-

• क्षीवः: intoxicated
• क्षीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मद-विह्वल-लोचनः: whose eyes were unsteady from intoxication
• मद-विह्वल-लोचनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक) + विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः (मदेन विह्वले लोचने यस्य/मद-विह्वल-लोचनः)

Characters & Entities

• Balarama

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Balarama wandering in the forest?

This verse describes Lord Balarāma moving through the forest as the women sing His glories, portraying a divine pastoral līlā filled with music, nature, and intimate Vraja atmosphere.

Why are the women singing about Balarama’s deeds in this verse?

In the Vraja setting of Canto 10, the gopīs and village women naturally celebrate the Lord’s pastimes through song, expressing devotion and keeping His līlā present in their hearts.

Practical application: what can a devotee learn from this shloka today?

Keep the Lord’s qualities and pastimes alive through kīrtana and remembrance; devotional singing transforms ordinary surroundings into sacred space and strengthens loving absorption in Bhagavān.